imply that the Lord giveth himself to be the staffe and strength of them so that you shall see the presence of God in them he will not only give a man Wife and Children and Ordinances and Providences but he himself will be in all these and blesse his people in the enjoyment of them all so as that they shall enjoy God in all Psal 16.5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance He saw the Lord in what he did enjoy and when he had any thing it was in God and when he wanted any thing it was supplied in him The like did Jacob finde when his brother Esau came against him with 400. men and the Lord turned him from the fierceness of his wrath here was the Covenant of Abraham the Lord gave him the mouth and arms and tears of his brother Esau what saith Jacob to all this Gen. 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God He saw the power and mercy of God in changing the countenance of his elder Brother and that is it which sweetneth all that a man doth enjoy the loving kindness of God in all is the Blessing of all and this likewise doth Jacob acknowledge Gen. 33.5 These are the Children which God of his grace hath given me and so he looked at them as Gods wives and children and servants and cattel and this is the very life of the Covenant of Grace when as the Lord is wrapped up in all his Blessings when as he giveth himself and in himself his Christ and in Christ Peter and Paul and all things unto his Church This is the main thing given God himself the God of the Covenant his Persons Nature Ordinances Providences and now Abraham is made the Lord of the world and so the Apostle doth interpret it Rom. 4.13 The Promise that he should be heir of the world was not to Abraham nor to his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith and this is that which Abraham did receive in receiving the Lord to be his God 2. In the order of giving the Covenant there is something to be observed 1. God giveth first and not the Creature it was not Abraham that gave unto God first for which of all the creatures shall offer a Covenant unto the mighty God Rom. 11.35 Who hath given unto him first and it shall be recompensed unto him again the Lord hath the pre-eminence in giving for what should Abraham give unto God if God give not something unto him first he is the first giver 2. He is also the first thing in order that is given For doth he give the world first or ordinances first or any other spiritual or temporal blessings first No doubtless the Lord is the first thing that he giveth by his Covenant and with himself all things else also Rom. 8.32 and there is the precedency of Jesus Christ he is given and in him all spiritual blessings as the Apostle saith Eph. 1.3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus And this for the order in giving the Covenant not obedience first nor faith first nor any thing else first but Himself is Donum primum primarium and in him all his goodness 3. For the Manner of giving in that he giveth himself there is implied both the freedom and eternety of the gift Firmness therefore and that unto eternity In that he giveth himself it must of necessity be done freely for what can any creature give to purchase God if a man could give thousands of worlds they were not enough to redeem or purchase one soul and if he had millions of worlds to give what were they all to purchase so great a gift as God himself is therefore it must needs be of free gift for the creature can do nothing to prevent God God indeed may give with a purpose to receive back again but he looketh to receive no more then what he first giveth us and giveth us strength of Will and Deed to give him back again He required this of Abraham that he should walk before him and be upright Gen. 17.1 but the very truth is though Abraham shall perform these things in an Evangelical manner yet God himself doth undertake in this Covenant to be the Author and Finisher both of his Faith and Obedience Heb. 12.2 And this doth argue the marvelous freedome of the Covenant of Grace for the Lord offereth it out of his Grace without the foresight of Faith or Works for he undertaketh to give both Will and Deed of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 But it may be said Object Did not the Lord except it that he should give himself back again or else the Lord would not give himself Truly then it had not been of Free-grace Answ But as you see sometimes great Princes will take in a neighbour-Nation into league with them and not tell them of it so doth the Lord deal with his elect ones he maketh a Covenant with Christ and taketh us into that Covenant otherwise he should not at all intend it effectually nor ever give himself unto us for we are not able to give our selves unto him till he first take us For if Abraham did give himself it was because God did take him first and therefore it is that the Apostle telleth us that the Lord took hold of Paul that he might take hold upon the Lord Phil. 3.12 I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus is not he the Father that hath bought us hath not he made us established us Deut. 32.6 If we give up our selves unto the Lord it is because the Lord hath taken hold upon our hearts first But doth not the Lord require of him to circumcise his seed the eighth day Object So he doth indeed Answ but the Lord giveth him that also God the Father seeth it needfull for their everlasting Salvation therefore he doth give him Circumcision and giveth him the grace to circumcise his children I know that the Lord doth call for many things under a covenant of Grace but then the Lord doth 1. Work those things in them And 2. He will have them know that those things are nothing without the working of his Grace It is true he may circumcise Isaac but who shall circumcise the heart of Isaac it is a small matter to circumcise the flesh so it is a small matter for us to baptize with water but who must wash us from our sins save only the Lord our God so that he doth secretly intimate that what his poor servants do outwardly he would do it inwardly and effectually The children of Israel shall at the Lords commandment march about the city Jericho seven daies together and not speak a word and hereby the wals of the city shall fall down flat of what use were these weapons to such an
which is Christ And so by him are all the Promises and Blessings of the Covenant conveyed unto Abraham and to his seed his faithful seed all the world over and therefore he is called the Mediator of a better Covenant Heb. 7.22 meaning the Covenant of Grace Heb. 3.6 These three things do contain the sum of the Covenant of Grace and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and would therefore be plainly discovered unto Christians As 1. What is the meaning of this that God gave himself unto Ahraham 2. How doth he take Abraham and his seed and make them his People 3. How doth he take Jesus Christ and make him the surety of the Covenant between them both For the Covenant is established and so is a firm and sure and everlasting Covenant Now in this gift that God gave himself unto Abraham Observe 3. things 1. The Blessing given 2. The Order in which it was given 3. The manner of giving it 1. In the Blessing given when God doth by Covenant give himself to be a God it doth imply 2. things 1. That God doth give himself the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost the whole Nature of God and all the Persons of the Godhead with all the Attributes of that Nature and all the Offices of those Persons For it is not a confused God that vanisheth away in a general imagination but God distinctly considered in his Persons Attributes Properties c. thus the Lord giveth himself to Abrabam and to his seed I will be a Father unto you 2 Cor. 6.28 and that is not spoken to the Jewes only but unto all the Israel of God He giveth the Son also Isa 9.6 Vnto us a Son is born c. and God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son Joh. 3.16 And for the Holy Spirit This is my Covenant with them Joh. 16.7 13. saith the Lord Isa 59.21 My Spirit that is upon thee and my words that I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth and for ever and this is it which the Apostle also saith Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father thus the Lord giveth himself unto his servants from one generation to another If therefore the Lord God the Father give himself he will not be wanting to draw his people unto the Son Joh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And what is the chief business and work that the Son hath to do about us No man can have fellowship with the Father but he must have fellowship with Jesus Christ so our Saviour himself saith Joh. 14.6 No man can come unto the Father but by me this therefore the Lord Jesus Christ will do for all the elect seed of Abraham He will open their eyes to see that the Father did not draw them to Damnation nor utter desolation but unto Salvation by him this hath he promised to do And if it be the work of the Spirit of God to establish us both in the Father and the Son then will he convince the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Joh. 16.8 to 11. and so will stablish our hearts in the Comforts of the Lord our God and this is that which the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians chap. 3.16 That the Lord would grant unto them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man and hence it cometh to passe that what the Lord would have us to do he is present by his Spirit to teach us and to strengthen us and so to do it for us All these things doth the Lord work for Abraham and for his seed so that look what is meet for a Father to do or for a Brother to do or for the Spirit of God to do that will the Lord do unto his elect ones and so he giveth all his Attributes and they are even God himself and therefore when Moses desired to see his Glory and he desired it from the Grace that God had shewed him Exod. 34.6 the Lord proclaimed his Name before him Jehovah Jehovah strong merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth thus doth the Lord give himself and all the Persons in the Godhead as they are called and Attributes they are no more nor other then God himself 2. And as God himself is implyed so when God is given by Covenant all the Ordinances and Creatures and Works of God are given also For so it was in all Covenants of old time when Jehosaphat maketh a Covenant with Ahab King of Israel 2 King 22.4 then I am as thou art and my people as thy people and my ho ses as thy horses and all that he hath is for Ahabs service as the King goeth so goeth his strength So thus it doth come to passe that if the Lord of Hosts be for us and give himself unto us then also doth he give us his eternal Election and Redemption and whatsoever he hath wrought for the salvation of his Elect He hath not so dealt with any Nation Psal 147.20 but only with the Israel of God unto them hath he given his Lawes and shewed them his Judgments And for his Creatures they are all given to be for his people to whom he hath given himself If God be a God unto Abraham then shall all Gods people be sor him Melchizedeck shall blesse him Aner Eshchol and Mamre shall be confederates with him The Sun Moon and Stars shall fight in their courses for the people of God the Sea shall give way unto them to passe through it on dry ground What ailed you ye streams of Jordan to go backward Why all the creatures of God must stoop unto the people of God when he is in Covenant with them this is that which the Lord promiseth unto his people Hos 2.18 to 22. when the Lord shall marry them to him in faithfulness In that day saith the Lord I will make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of the heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bow and the sword and the battel out of the earth and I will make them to lie down safely And it shall come to passe in that day I will hear the Heavens and they shall hear the Earth and the earth shall hear the Corn and the Wine and the Oyl and they shall hear Jezreel Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours 1 Cor. 3.22 This is the large Gift of Gods Covenant Nay and which is wonderful and beyond all comprehension when I say all the creatures and ordinances of God are ours the very expression of the phrase doth
sandy foundation What say you then to works after conversion All works after conversion are fruits of Faith and if they proceed from Faith then faith went before then a mans faith was not built upon a conditional promise how is it possible that it should when as all works after conversion are either fruits of Faith or else they are no true sanctification then faith went before in order of Nature and so was not built upon works but works upon it Our Faith closeth with Christ upon a promise of Free-Grace Calvin Inst l. 3. c. 2. s 29. otherwise as saith Calvin my faith would alwaies be trembling and wavering as my works be Upon a promise of Free-Grace therefore my Faith is built as upon the promise of God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.18 19. The word is it may be spoken outwardly unto all Christians but if God do set it home particularly unto any Soul that man receiveth this Gift of God and it is made his own First he beleeveth the promise of Free-grace and then afterward come other promises that do bear witness unto the right application of that promise unto the soul but I am first built upon a promise of Free-grace or else there is no true closing with Jesus Christ well then being thus united unto Christ from this union with Christ do flow all other blessings and benefits of the Covenant of Grace for hence springeth communion with Christ in all spiritual blessings that the Lord hath wrought for us in him and they are two of them Relative blessings as they are called by Divines two of them positive blessings The two Former are laid up in Gods own Hand and are not created in us the other two positive Blessings are created in us 1. For the uncreated Blessings They are 1. Adoption 2. Justification And they spring immediately simul semel from the former union with Christ for as soon as ever the Spirit of God is in our hearts and hath wrought faith that we do not spurn against Jesus Christ but receive him now is the Divine Nature of Christ in us and we are now become the sons of God as Christ himself is Look as in a mans first natural conception as soon as ever one doth live there is an heir of Adam even so soon as the soul liveth so it is in the new spiritual Birth as soon as the Holy Ghost cometh and hath wrought this Faith now is the Seed of God in us the Life of Christ and the Spirit of God and now we are the Sons of God as we read Joh. c. 12. As many as received him to them he gave power to be the sons of God Immediately upon this union with Christ we are Sons by Adoption and as we are adopted so likewise our sins are now imputed unto Christ and his righteousness unto us and so our persons are justified For how and when was Adams sin imputed unto us Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity in sin did my mother conceive me So soon as over there was life it was the life of Adam and then the imputation of Adams sin falleth immediately upon the soul So when we do receive Christ by this living Faith having the Life of Christ in us we have the righteousness of Christ the second Adam imputed to us For what doth the childe in the womb though it doth neither good nor evil but is meerly passive yet sinful it is and a childe of Adam So also in this our Regeneration the soul receiveth Christ by that Faith which the Lord hath wrought in it whereby also it is made capable of the priviledg of Adoption and so the Lord accounteth us his children and imputeth the Righteousness of his Son unto us whereby we are Justified These things do dwell in Gods Bosome and the meaning of them is afterwards revealed unto the soul but communicated they are both that of Adoption and this of Justification by this gift of faith wrought in us But we are still upon the first work of conversion wherein a Christian is only passive and receptive and truly it must needs be so in the first work of God upon us 2. Now for the Positive Blessings that are wrought in us They are 1. Sanctification 2. Glorification 1. When we are called then are we Sanctified then are we Glorified 1 Cor. 1.2 as in our natural conception as soon as ever the childe liveth Adams sin is first imputed and then there is a proneness in it to carry it captive unto fin and to make it backward unto any goodness So when the Life of Christ is dispensed unto the soul now the Lord comes to convey with it Justification or pardon of sin and then there is a promise in a Justified person to walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit By Faith our hearts come to be purified Acts 15.9 and the same Spirit quickneth us unto holy duties so that we live yet not we but Christ liveth in us neither are we only in his hand but the Spirit sanctifying draweth us into an holy confederacy to serve God in Family Church and Common-wealth and this Sanctification groweth and encreaseth more and more 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Thes 4.1 5.23 2. The other positive gift is Glorification which we read of Rom. 8.30 Whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified this the Apostle Peter mentioneth 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all grace hath called us into his eternal glory it Christ Jesus And in truth he hath begun the work from the time that he first began to sanctifie us 2 Tim. 1.9 He hath saved us and called us from the very first time that God worketh upon the soul graciously there is a glorious work in that soul and others may see it though himself sometimes seeth nothing that he hath received Thus we see the second branch of the Doctrine opened How the Lord doth receive Abraham and his seed unto himself preparing them by a spirit of Bondage and of Burning and then taking possession of them savingly by the inhabitation of the blessed Spirit the same Spirit begetting Faith we are alive in Jesus Christ and so come to be Adopted and Justified in him the same Faith which receiveth Adoption and Justification doth begin to stir a little and to breath forth into gracious desires and some holy mourning and beginneth now to put forth such works as the holy Ghost carrieth the soul an end in working all our works in us and for us 3. Now for the third and last part of the Doctrine The Lord took the chiefest of Abrahams seed to be the Mediator of this Covenant unto whom all the Promises were made Gal. 3.16 How did the Lord constitute him so to be Quest 1. By a double Act first Answ by receiving Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary to be one Person with the
Christ may be magnified it 's no matter by whom I therein rejoyce yea and will rejoyce saith the blessed Apostle Phil. 1.18 If any man therefore aimeth at Gods glory then only when it may be an honour to his profession no thank to you brother for that much close work may be found so long as both are carried an end together but if when I hear that my brother glorifieth God I could have wished that such a thing had been done or spoken by me and it is the worse because it is not done by my hand if that which is the rich goodness of God to my brother be not my rejoycing it is because of the Core of hypocrisie in my heart Thus have we seen particularly the difference between Legal and Evangelical holiness We proceed still in this fourth Use to a fifth Question If Jesus Christ be the first Gift that is given to the children of God before he giveth right unto Promises or to me to challenge promises yea before he giveth me any other gifts of his saving grace then any soul may ask this Question Of what use are promises Quest if they be not to bring me to Christ yea specially to what end are conditional promises made that is to say Promises to such and such Qualifications if I may not take a Promise in the one hand and a Qualification in the other hand and bring them both to God and lay hold upon Christ with both hands in the strength of this Promise made to this Qualification Thus ariseth the Question if God give Jesus Christ first before any other blessing as we read before To Abraham and to his Seed were the Promises made he meaneth unto Christ and all the Promises are in him Yea and in him Amen no having of Promises therefore before Christ to what purpose are they given then if not to bring me unto Christ It is a point needful to be known because we read promises in Scripture daily and certainly great use is to be made of them and if we shall make no other use of them but to bring us unto Christ and God hath not sanctified them unto that end then we shall take them all in vain and the Name of God that is called upon them There is a threefold use of Promises in Scripture to wit 1. Before union with Christ Answ 2. In union with Christ 3. After union with him Before union with Christ Benefit 1 there is a threefold use of Promises 1. They are of use for Doctrine to teach all the people of God what great and glorious things are laid up in Jesus Christ even the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 and this all the Promises of God do hold forth if the Lord promise to be your Father your Husband your Shepherd your Head your Root if he promise to be any other blessing in the world to you what ever promise you read or hear the Lord sheweth you by it the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ and that is no vain use of Promises for a man to know by them the great good things that are treasured up in Jesus Christ by the Father therefore they are called great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 Why so because they declare the great and precious priviledges and blessings in Jesus Christ therefore it is that the Lord will have all his people to look at him in his Word and Promises and to know what great good he hath in store for all them that trust in him and seek after him in Jesus Christ Thus all the promises of Grace declare his excellency as Cant. 5.10 My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand so do all the Promises declare him to be a plentiful Saviour and a mighty Redeemer of all his people 2. As they are of use for Doctrine so for instruction it is good for the honour of God to know them but instruction is a further thing and distinct from Doctrine 2 Tim. 3.16 by instruction men are taught not only what to know but what to do to know and see whither they should resort for the enjoyment of all those precious blessings that God hath laid up in Jesus Christ and this is a precious use of the promises that by them the soul should be thus instructed whither to go for life and salvation such instruction we finde Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth here is a direction to me before I look whither to look I do not onely see great things and so vanish away but I am directed to look and be saved thus are we taught of God likewise by his blessed Apostle Acts 2.38 39. Repent and be baptised into the name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins for the Promise is unto you and to your Children and to as many as the Lord our God shall call thus are we taught by the Promises whither to look for life and salvation 3. The Promises serve also for exhortation as the Scripture last alleadged holdeth forth for so many blessings as you see propounded in the Promises so many invitations are there to perswade and provoke mens Souls to come unto Jesus Christ as old Jacob sometimes provoked his sons saying Why stand ye gazing one upon another behold I have heard that there is corn in Egypt c. Gen. 42.1 2. so saith the Lord to the sons of men in his Promises Why stand you gazing in the want of this and that blessing is there not pardon of sin and all manner of blessings in Jesus Christ thus is the Soul exhorted not onely to look for mercy but not to rest till he may enjoy it Though it be not the Promises that can by their own power without the Spirit carry men an end yet this is the end to which God giveth them to stirre up the Sons of men not to rest in beholding the good things in the Promises but to exhort them to provoke themselves and one another to look after the Lord thus did the Apostle Peter exhort the Jews and testified to them of the free grace of God in his Promises Acts â— 40 and indeed the promises in themselves are strong grounds of Exhortation to stirre up the spirits of all Gods people to look to Jesus Christ and to come unto him in whom such abundance of rich grace is laid up Thus do the promises of God furnish both Ministers and People with Doctrine with Instruction and with Exhortation in their kinde Now there is a threefold effect that they have in some of all sorts good and bad that live in the bosome of the Church 1. They have a power of Illumination they will enlighten the mindes even of Hypocrites and men that are endued with no more but common gifts as well as the people of God of such the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.4 who were once enlightned c. and had tasted of the good word of God 2. When not onely enlighting but
teacheth and none like him 1 Joh. 2.20 27. You have an unction from the holy One and ye know all things c. and in this respect every Christian is a sealed one of God more or less when as the Angel was sent to set the seal of God upon his servants Revel 7.2 3. he did not leave out weak Christians doubtless but did seal all the servants of God Christ is careful to keep his weak servants from inundations of evil as well as others so in Ezek. 9.4 The mark of God is set upon all that mourn for the sins of the times therefore in some work of this seal the Holy Ghost is not wanting to seal all believers otherwise thou couldest not believe that the Father hath drawn thee to Christ unless the Lord had revealed it nor couldest thou believe that the Father is thy Father unless the Holy Ghost hath sealed thee thou canst not know that thy faith is accepted of God that thy sanctification is in truth unless the Spirit of God do clear up these things unto thy soul though thou hadst many promises before thee yet unless the Lord by his Spirit apply them thou canst not see thy right in them But is not that my sin Object It is your sin Answ but it is such a sin as the power of the creature cannot help you out of for unless the Lord be pleased to discover Jesus Christ unto you and your faith in him and your deriving of your works from him you will neither know your justification nor your sanctification to be true therefore there is ever a sealing work of Gods Spirit upon the souls of his Saints though this may be done before the Holy Ghost come to seal you in his own proper work for you have many gracious workings of God about you before he come to seal his own work in your soul 2. The second work of the Spirit in respect whereof he is called a seal is his ingraving the likeness of Jesus Christ upon the soul for the Lord hath predestinated us to be conformed unto the image of his Son Rom. 8.29 and how come we to be so conformed even by the Spirit of God who writeth as it were Jesus Christ in our hearts as with the finger of the living God and hence Christ is formed in us Gal. 4.19 and this image of Christ the Holy Ghost writeth in us by making us conformable unto the death and resurrection of Christ and unto that end he doth breathe in both the Sacraments Rom. 6.4 5 6. for he is both a Spirit of mortification and vivification so as that through him we do not onely finde sin mortified but do live by the faith of the Son of God and the Spirit it is that doth preserve these gifts and acteth and stirreth up our faith to look unto Christ this is another use of the seal not only to confirm but to conform so that of his fulness we all receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 and we live yet not we but Christ liveth in us and this seal the Holy Ghost doth set on more or less in every Christian but in his own proper work he doth it with more power 3. The third work whereby the Holy Ghost doth express the nature of a seal is in distinguishing the Saints from other men Rev. 7.2 3. the servants of God were sealed and in sealing them he doth conceal them as a seal doth so that the world knows them not Joh. 14.17 and 1 Joh. 3.1 we are called the sons of God therefore the world knows us not c. and the more the Spirit doth distinguish a man from the wicked of the world the less they do discern him to be a gracious man the more lively grace is the more it is hidden from the world as men grow more in godliness so they grow more and more to be suspected by the world this is sealing work to distinguish and yet to conceal these things doth the Spirit of God as a seal upon the hearts and consciences of his people he begetteth and confirmeth all their faith more or less he doth conform them to the image of Christ more or less he doth also conceal and distinguish them from the world The second Question needful for the clearing of this point Quest 2 is How is the Holy Ghost an earnest For Answer Answ He is called an earnest in two respects 1. First As he bindeth the bargain between God and the soul he doth confirm all the promises of God to us and fasteneth them upon our hearts and settleth our hearts with an unmovable faith God having given us his Spirit doth give us all in him for he bindeth our union with Christ and our relation to the Father the Covenant of Gods grace unto us and us unto it the Gospel to us and us unto the Gospel 2. Secondly He is an earnest as he is the first fruits of the payment if a man give a pledge he meaneth to take his pledge again but if he gives money in earnest he meaneth not to take that again for it is part of the payment and the whole is but a greater payment of the same kinde so in like manner what is all our inheritance surely a fulness of the fruition of God the Father and of Jesus Christ and of the blessed Spirit of God this is all our inheritance that we look for in another world Eph. 1.14 He is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory here we have but a little portion of the Spirit a little earnest-peny but this little portion is an assurance unto us that he will make it up until we be able to receive no more Now for Application of this Point Use 1 let it first teach us how to speak of the seal of the Spirit all those that desire to speak the language of Canaan no man hath part in Christ but he hath the seal of the Spirit also for if the Holy Ghost had not given thee Christ in this or that promise thou couldest never have believed it True it is indeed there are many Christians yea and sealed Christians which are not sealed with the proper work of the Spirit I mean with that full consolation and universal conformity to Gods image every Christian hath not received that measure of power but every Christian waiteth for it and is sealed by the blessed Spirit having set home some word of Gods grace wherein Jesus Christ is brought unto the soul In the second place Use 2 let it teach us thus much that it will come short of bringing us unto Christ if we lay claim to a promise of God by any work of grace such as we can have before we have the seal of the Spirit I mean such a work of the Spirit as wherein he doth come in with power upon the soul above the power of the word and works of God for they are both creatures and
Secondly By his person he is fit to maintain our communion and there are two things requisite unto that 1. First The removal of all offences and Christ is most fit for that for as he is the â—on of man he is most fit to suffer all punishment due unto sin and therefore as man he became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ult And as he is God so he is fit to overcome sin and to prevail against the wrath of God 2. Secondly He is fit to communicate all the good things of God unto us as God he is fit to bestow upon us all spiritual comforts and heavenly gifts and blessings as man he knows what is most fit for the spirit of man and so he is fit to communicate unto us all the good things of God he hath suffered himself and hath been tempted and so he is fit to succour such as are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. thus he is a fit Mediatour in regard of his Person 2. Secondly He is fit to be a Mediatour in respect of his Offices he is a Priest a Prophet and a King and in all these Offices he doth properly and lively exercise the Office of a Mediatour 1. First As a Priest He doth offer Sacrifice for us Heb. 9.12 even himself Heb. 10.10 He gives his life a ransom for many Mat. 20.28 and he doth not only thus give all this but apply it also unto us as it belongs unto a Mediator for to do And as a Priest he doth sit at Gods right hand and makes intercession for us Rom. 8.34 and if any man man sin we have an advocate with the Father which is Christ the righteous by him God reconcileth the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 thus he taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 and becomes a propitiation for us Rom. 3.24 25. these things he doth as he is a Priest 2. Secondly As he is a Prophet he teacheth us all things Acts 3.22 whatsoever things he hath done and suffered for us those things as a Prophet he teacheth us 3. Thirdly As a King he doth apply all this grace unto us subduing us by his Spirit unto himself and all the creatures unto us God by him as a Mediator doth bring us on effectually unto himself by the mighty power of his Word and Spirit and keepeth us with himself in spotless communion unto his heavenly kingdom These Offices give him power and authority to do it as also faithfulness and mercy according unto his tender compassion on our necessities Thus we see how the Lord Jesus is a Mediatour In particular he is a Mediatour of the Covenant between God and us and that in a threefold respect 1. First Because he is the Messenger of the Covenant thus he is called Mal. 3.1 he did first publish it unto our first Parents Gen. 3.15 and unto Abraham and by all the holy Prophets and in the daies of his flesh and by the Apostles and their successours unto the end of the world 2. Secondly He is called the Mediatour of the Covenant as he doth ratifie and confirm the Covenant by a threefold seal 1. First By his bloud for a Testament is confirmed by the death of him that made it Heb. 9.15 16 17. he is the mediatour of the new testament that by means of death c. that they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance He made it sure on Gods part and on our parts he doth seal it up with his bloud that it might be confirmed unto all Generations and as no man altereth a Testament after a Testatours death so this is unalterable 2. Secondly As he hath confirmed it by his bloud so also by his Spirit Ephes 1.13 14. c. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption Christ is the Angel that ascended out of the East having the seal of the living God Rev. 7.2 3. And look as it was the manner of the Priest of old to sprinkle the bloud of the Covenant upon the book of the law and upon the people so doth the Lord Jesus besprinkle us and that which is taught us with his bloud and Spirit and thereby begetteth the experience of the savour of God in our hearts and sealeth it up unto us 3. Thirdly He doth seal it by the seals of the Covenant which are Baptism and the Lords Supper so it is here said He gave him the covenant of circumcision which was a seal of the righteousness of faith instead whereof he hath given us Baptism And by the Lords Supper he sealeth it for that is the bloud of the new Testament Mat 26.28 by all these means he doth confirm the Covenant Dan. 7.27 3. Thirdly He is not only the Publisher and confirmer but also the Prince and Head of it for you shall see that in all Covenants there are some that are Princes of the Covenant as we read Dan. 11.22 where speaking of the league between Egypt and Assyria he makes mention of the Princes of the Covenant So in this respect the Lord Jesus is called the Covenant it self Isai 42.6.49 8. as being the Head and Prince of it and that implyeth two or three things 1. First If he be the Prince of the Covenant then all the Covenant is first made with him Gal 3.16 To Abraham and to his seed even unto Christ and to the Church his mystical body in him and under him and therefore all the promises are in him yea and in him amenâ— 2 Cor. 1.20 that is to say all the Promises and all their conditions are fulfilled in him as he saith It behoveth us to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 2. Secondly He doth inherit the blessings of the Covenant so far as his blessed nature is capable of them he hath received the crown of inheritance of all the blessings both of this life and of another Mat. 28.18 he sitteth at Gods right hand having led captivity captive he treadeth down Satan under his feet therefore 1. First He hath fulfilled all the conditions of the Covenant as this is one part of the Covenant The redeemer shall come out of Sion and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob as the Apostle Rom. 11.26 expoundeth the words of the Prophet Isai 59.20 for he fulfilleth in us all the conditions of the Covenant he it is that turneth us to the Lord and undertaketh to do all things in us and for us 2. Secondly He doth communicate the blessings of the Covenant to us having himself exactly fulfilled all the Conditions of them 3. He doth apply the comfort of the Promises unto us and having done all these things he leadeth us still to wait upon him for further and further blessings in his Ordinances Thus we have seen in particulars how the Lord Jesus is the Mediatour of the Covenant He is the Publisher of it the confirmer of it by his bloud by his Spirit by the seals